IN
THE
WIND
P26
NUZZOLILLI
TAKES HILLCLIMB
OPENER
V
inny Nuzzolilli demonstrated his comeback
form by taking the Unlimited Class win at
round one of the AMA Pro Hillclimb Series on
the very hill where a severe injury cost him
the class title in the next to last round of 2013.
Reigning Xtreme Class Champion John Koes-
ter claimed the top spot on the Xtreme podium
and posted the day's fastest time in all classes.
Nick Drummer won the Pro Sport Class in Jef-
ferson, Pennsylvania.
In the Unlimited class, Nuzzolilli posted a
blistering first-half time of 8.143 seconds then wait-
ed to see who would challenge him. Greg Dunbar
and Jay Sallstrom came closest with 8.252 and
8.274 ETs, respectively, earning them the podium
steps on either side of Nuzzolilli.
Phil Libhart set the pace in the Xtreme Class with
an 8.005-second ride in the first half, more than
a 10th faster that his closest competitors - Koes-
ter and Sallstrom. In the second half, Koester laid
down a 7.934 ET, forcing a second ride by Libhart.
Libhart's ride was slower, leaving him second with
Sallstrom third.
In Pro Sport, Drummer took a commanding lead
in the first half with a 9.33-second ride and that
held for victory.
Jeff Whitehead
especially at the end of the front
straightaway," he said on Friday.
"At the start of the year, it seemed
fine. I could ride all day in Malay-
sia in the tests and the first three
races were fine. Then at Jerez on
Saturday night I had a lot of pain
and inflammation, without any
particular reason. From there, it's
not getting better."
Arthroscopic (keyhole) sur-
gery was planned, leading him to
hope for a quick recovery time.
"I hope not to miss the next
race. It's not like I have a broken
bone – I have a joint that keeps
releasing a lot of fluid, so hope-
fully they can go inside, drain
the fluid, clean up the scar tis-
sue. It's in the wrist, but it goes
to the whole hand. When I ride
the whole hand swells up.
"I'm very disappointed. Mug-
ello's probably one of the best
races of the year. It's not as
though I crashed, so it's a frus-
trating injury. But it's not the first
one I've had to miss. Life as a
racer can be like this," the 2006
World Champion said.
Michael Scott
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
Vinny Nuzzolilli wheelies on his way to the Unlimited
Class win at the series opener in Jefferson, Pennsylvania.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
JEFF
WHITEHEAD
